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THUNDER BIRD _ MOUNTAIN _WHIRLWIND EAGLE FEATHERS LIGHTNING 


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Pueblo 


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RAIN ID CLOUD am butterfly <m«-=»,RAI N M| CLOUDa 































Pictures By 

CAROL NAY 


JUNIOR PRESS BOOKS 

albertXwh itman 

fyico 

CHICAGO 

1938 


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Copyright, 1938, by Albert Whitman & Company 


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Lithographed in the U.S.A. 

©ClA 1 22385 

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OCT 201338 








Chapter One 


A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS 

W E are going to the mountains tomorrow! We are going 
to the mountains tomorrow!” sang a little Pueblo 
Indian boy with glee. 

“Hush!” said his little sister, “you have wakened the baby with 
your loud song.” 

“That isn’t a song,” laughed the boy, “I was just singing be¬ 
cause I am so glad we are going to the mountains.” 

“I am glad, too,” said his sister, “but now, I must sing a quiet 
little song to put baby to sleep again.” 


“Sleep, little baby, when my song you hear, 

And I will keep the bumblebee from buzzing in your ear 
I will keep the Sun God from shining in your eye 
If you will sleep, my baby, and do not wake and cry.” 


Now she is sound asleep,” whispered the little girl. 

[5] 












These little Indian children were sitting in the warm sun high 
up on a mesa. 

The little boy’s name was Rain Cloud. He had on a bright 
red shirt and short blue trousers. On his feet he wore a nice, new 
pair of moccasins. 

His little sister’s name was Butterfly Girl. She had on new 
moccasins, too, and a nice blue woolen dress with a gay belt around 
it, which her mother had woven for her. 

They called the baby Singing Bird. Sometimes Butterfly Girl 
carried the baby on her back, wrapped in a tiny blanket. So, 
everywhere that Butterfly Girl went Singing Bird went too. Sing' 
ing Bird was just a tiny baby who slept nearly all day long. But, 
at times when Butterfly Girl swept the house or gathered seeds 
and plants, Singing Bird would open her brown eyes and laugh. 

Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl lived in New Mexico near the 
Rio Grande. In the summer it was very hot and the sun shone 
every day. In the winter it was very cold at times and the whole 
land was covered with snow. Then Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl 
would throw snowballs and make snow men. 

They had a big sister whose name was Twinkling Star. She 
was going to be married soon. When an Indian girl marries, she 
and her family build her new house. Twinkling Star and her 
mother would plaster the house, and her father and brother would 
help with the heavy work. They would get the logs for it and 
carry the adobe bricks, while the women would do all the rest. 

So Rain Cloud’s father, Porcupine, had promised to take Rain 
Cloud and Butterfly Girl to the mountains. He wanted to get logs 
for the roof of Twinkling Star’s new house. 

Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl knew the h igh mountains were 
far, far away. It would take them two days to reach there. They 
were going in a wagon drawn by their horse. Black Rock. Rain 
Cloud and Butterfly Girl thought it would be great fun to ride in 
the wagon all day and to sleep under the stars at night. 

[ 6 ] 






























On the day of the trip. Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl awoke 
very early. Their father, Porcupine, was up before them. He had 
loaded the wagon with blankets and enough food and water to 
last them three or four days. 

Just as the Sun God showed his shining face, Porcupine lifted 
Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl up on the big wagon. They waved 
good-bye to their mother, Bluebird, as she stood in the doorway 
of their pueblo house. Then they were off down the steep path of 
the mesa to the field below. 

For many hours they jogged along over the plain. As the Sun 
God climbed higher in the sky it grew very warm. Rain Cloud 
and Butterfly Girl could see for miles and miles around them from 
their seats on top of the big wagon. Far away they could see the 
purple mountains where the pine trees grew. 

The rocky hills were near to them and sometimes they could 
see a canyon which looked black in the bright sunlight. All around 
them were sagebrush and cactus and the beautiful tall yucca with 
its white bell-shaped flowers. 

At last Porcupine said, “Now, it is noon and we shall stop to 
eat our lunch. I am sure Black Rock would like a rest, too.” 

So they all climbed down off the wagon. After Black Rock 
had rested a few minutes, Porcupine gave him a big drink of water 
and some com to eat. 

Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl were very hungry and they ate 
many comcakes which their mother had made for them. 

Father, said Rain Cloud when they were ready to start again, 
“may I hold the reins? I am really quite strong and I am sure I 
could drive Black Rock. Please let me try, Father.” 

“All right,” said Porcupine. “You may drive.” 

So Rain Cloud held the reins and he felt very proud. 

For a long time Black Rock seemed not to know that a little 
boy was driving him. He just trotted along and everything was 
still and quiet. Then suddenly a rabbit jumped out of a bush by 

[ 8 ] 


the side of the road. It dashed right under Black Rock’s hoofs. 

Now, Black Rock was a very wise old horse and he had seen 
many, many rabbits. Perhaps he did know that little Rain Cloud 
was holding his reins and perhaps he just wanted to have some fun. 
This is what he did. He threw back his head with a big snort and 
started down the road as fast as he could gallop. 

Rain Cloud nearly fell off the seat before he remembered to 
grab the reins as tightly as he could. 

Porcupine had to hold on to Butterfly Girl to keep her from 
falling off the wagon. 

Rain Cloud pulled and pulled on the reins, but Black Rock just 
kept going as fast as he could with his tail flowing straight out 
behind him. 

Suddenly Porcupine took the reins and Black Rock stopped. 
Then he trotted down the road as though he had never seen a 
rabbit at all. 

Rain Cloud felt very foolish, but Porcupine did not scold him. 

Rain Cloud was very quiet the rest of the afternoon. When at 
last they stopped to camp for the night, he helped Porcupine tether 
Black Rock and lay out the blankets. Then he watched Porcupine 
build a fire. 

Porcupine took two sticks, one flat and one round. He turned 
the round stick and the flat one, which lay on the ground, together. 
In a little while they had a bright fire burning to warm their nice 
supper. 

Soon they were all wrapped up in their blankets beside the 
wagon. But Rain Cloud lay looking at the stars, wishing he could 
do something to show his father that he was really a big boy who 
could do a job well. 

The next day they reached the mountains. Here it was cooler 
and Butterfly Girl wrapped her blanket snugly about her shoulders. 

Soon Porcupine said, “We will leave Black Rock and the 
wagon here while I look for a straight, green pine tree. I want logs 

[ 9 ] 


that are straight and strong for the roof of Twinkling Star’s new 
house.” 

Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl loved to be in the mountains. 
Butterfly Girl began to pick the flowers that grew among the 
bushes. After a while they heard Porcupine say, “Here is a tree 
that will do.” 

“Oh, Father,” cried Rain Cloud, “may we go for a walk while 
you are chopping it down?” 

“Yes, if you do not go too far,” the father replied. 

This made them happy. Hand in hand they went off through 
the woods. 

“Look!” cried Rain Cloud. 

“Where?” asked Butterfly Girl. 

“Oh, he is gone,” said Rain Cloud. “I saw a badger.” 

“I thought the badger lived on the desert,” said Butterfly Girl. 

Oh, no!” said Rain Cloud. “It is too dry on the desert. He 
likes to be near water. He always digs his hole near bushes and 
rocks. Father told me that the badger eats two gophers or two 
squirrels and twelve mice every day. He eats fruit and roots, and 
insects, too. I guess it takes him all day long to find his food!” 

Oh, no! said Butterfly Girl. “I know he hunts at night.” 

“If we hunt, we can find some pinon nuts,” cried Rain Cloud. 

They went higher and higher, and soon they began to see 
pinon nuts under the trees. Butterfly Girl held in her skirt all that 
Rain Cloud could gather. 

“Father will be glad we have found so many,” said Rain Cloud, 
thinking how good they would taste when they were roasted. 

Just as he spoke a great clap of thunder shook the ground and 
roared through the mountains. Rain began to fall very hard. 
Flashes of lightning filled the sky. Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl 
were not afraid, for Indian boys and girls love the storm. 

“We must run fast and get back to Father before we get too 
wet,” cried Rain Cloud. 



“Loo\, sister. See what I have found!” 














Down the hill they ran. Butterfly Girl held her skirt with one 
hand. She did not want to lose the pinon nuts. 

The sky became darker. The thunder hurt their ears. The trees 
and hills looked black. 

Poor Butterfly Girl slipped on the wet pine needles. The pinon 
nuts fell out of her skirt and rolled down the hill. 

fc Tm afraid we are lost,” cried Rain Cloud. “We didn’t come 
this way before and the rain has washed away our foot prints. 
I can’t find the way back.” 

“But we must find some place where we can keep dry,” cried 
Butterfly Girl. 

Rain Cloud held Butterfly Girl tightly by the hand. He knew 
he must find shelter for them both. They ran on through the 
storm. Rain Cloud’s bright brown eyes looked everywhere. But 
he saw only the rain and the swaying trees. Again and again he 
called his father’s name, but heard no answer. 

Then suddenly Rain Cloud gave a happy shout and pointed to 
the side of the hill. 

“Look!” he cried. “There is a cave!” 

They ran as fast as they could. They were inside the cave in 
a minute, where they shook the water from their thick, black hair. 
They were cold and wet, but the cave was warm and dry. 

They stood and looked out at the storm. The trees waved to 
and fro in the wind. The rain came down in great streams. The 
lightning flashed and the thunder roared. 

“Rain Cloud,” said Butterfly Girl, “Father will never find us 
here. What shall we do? I am hungry and cold and night is 
coming on.” 

“Don’t be afraid,” he replied. “I shall think of some way to 
help us. We cannot build a signal fire because it is too wet. We 
must stay in this cave. We will be safe and dry here, little sister. 
If you sit down here against this rock, perhaps you can go to 
sleep.” 


[ 12 ] 



Poor little Butterfly Girl was very tired and a big tear rolled 
down her cheek as she sat against the rock. She leaned back for 
just a moment, and Rain Cloud saw that she had gone fast asleep. 

“I will not sleep,” thought Rain Cloud. “I will look after 
Butterfly Girl and watch for Father.” 

The storm roared on and on and the night grew blacker. Rain 
Cloud felt very much alone and even a little afraid, but he wanted 
to do something to help. 

At last the blackness turned to a faint gray. The rain still 
poured down, but the thunder had stopped. Rain Cloud wanted 
to see what was in the cave. During the long night he had remem' 
bered that his grandfather had told him that long, long ago their 
people had lived in caves. 

All at once, Butterfly Girl awoke. Rain Cloud was shouting 
loudly. His voice made a strange sound in the cave. He came run' 
ning with something in his arms. 

“Look, sister. See what I have found!” he cried. 

“Why, it’s a drum!” she replied. 

“Yes, and here is the old drumstick to go with it,” cried 
Rain Cloud. 

Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl were very excited. They could 
hardly believe that Rain Cloud had really found a drum. 

“Now, listen to me,” said Rain Cloud. “Do you remember 
only a moon ago when our grandfather told us a story about a 
drum? He said that now we use drums only for our dances. Long 
ago they were used to warn our people that the Spanish soldiers 
were coming. They were our enemies. They came and took our 
villages one by one. They made our people send presents of com 
and cloth to the Spanish kings. 

“Our people were brave. They wanted to be free. They drove 
the Spaniards back out of our land. They were free once more. 
They beat the drums to tell each other of danger. I shall beat this 
drum, little sister. Do you think our father could hear it?” 

[ 13 ] 


“He could, he could!” cried Butterfly Girl. “Let’s try it!” 

So Rain Cloud took the old drumstick and beat upon the drum. 
The deep boom rolled out over the mountains. He beat until his 
arms were tired. Then Butterfly Girl took her turn. They did it 
again and again. 

Suddenly Butterfly Girl jumped up and held her brother’s arm. 

“I think I hear a shout,” she said. 

Rain Cloud stopped with his arm in the air and listened. Indian 
boys and girls have good ears. Soon they did hear a shout. 

“It’s Father, it’s Father!” they cried. “Here we are, Father!” 

They jumped up and down and waved their arms in the air. 
Soon Porcupine was in the cave with his big arms about his 
children. 

“You should not have gone so far away,” he said. “We never 
know when the Rain Gods will send a storm to the mountains. 
But you did well. It is a wonderful thing that you found this drum. 
Without it I might not have found you for a long, long time. We 
shall take it home to show to all the people, my son.” 

Porcupine then fed the children some comcakes and he picked 
up little Butterfly Girl, who was glad to be in his arms. Fie put 
his big blanket close about her. With his other arm he carried 
away the drum, while Rain Cloud proudly carried the drumstick. 

“Come, Rain Cloud,” said Porcupine. “We shall go back to 
the wagon and start for home. I have already loaded the logs on 
the wagon.” 

All day they traveled in the bright sunshine. That night they 
were happy to lie very close to Porcupine, wrapped in their nice 
warm blankets under the gleaming stars. 

The next evening, as dusk was falling, they reached their pueblo 
village. 











Chapter Two 


BUILDING A HOUSE 

The village where Rain Cloud lived was built upon a high 
mesa. Years ago it had been built there to protect the people from 
their enemies. From this high, table-like spot they could see far 
out over the plains below. Their lookouts could always tell when 
someone was coming. To get to the top from the wide fields be- 
low, the people would have to go up a steep and winding path. 

All the houses in the village were square in shape. The walls 
were very thick. The roofs were flat. Rain Cloud liked his house. 
It kept him cool in summer and warm in winter. He also liked to 
play on the flat roof. His mother, Bluebird, dried clothes there. 
Peppers, squash, and corn hung there to dry, too. Even the 
chickens were kept there. In the evening, the family would go 
to the roof to rest and play. 

Right inside the door of Rain Cloud's house was the large 
main room. Here he and his whole family ate, cooked, ground the 
com, and slept. There were Indian signs painted on the walls, as 


[ 15 ] 













well as many pretty Indian pictures. Over in the comer was a 
fireplace where Bluebird did the cooking. The smoke went up a 
chimney made of large pottery jars with the bottoms broken out 
of them. Rain Cloud had helped to build this chimney himself. 

In another comer were the stone metates on which the com 
was ground. Small stones rubbing against the large stones broke 
the corn down into flour. 

Across the room was baby Singing Bird’s cradle. This cradle 
was made of willow branches. It hung from a beam in the ceiling. 
It was very old. For many, many years all the babies in Rain 
Cloud’s family had used this same cradle. 

In Rain Cloud’s pueblo house the walls were very useful. 
Around them were stone benches and shelves where jars of water 
and bowls were kept. Along the sides, the clothes and blankets 
hung on long poles. High up on the walls were small windows 
near the roof. 

But there was still another room in this house. This was the 
storeroom. Here Rain Cloud’s family kept com, dried pumpkins, 
peaches, and chiles. Rain Cloud liked to go into this room and 
bring out things for his mother to use. 

Twinkling Star wanted a house just like this one. She was 
going to build right next to it. Big brother, Eagle Claws, was to 
help her with the heavy work. 

The morning after the trip to the mountains. Rain Cloud 
awoke very early. He wanted to help build Twinkling Star’s house, 
too. As he jumped up from his blankets he ran to the door and 
sang this little song to the rising sun: 

“Here I stand, O Sun God, 

Make me strong today. 

Shine on this new home we build, 

And keep all care away.” 

He hung his blanket on a peg in the wall. Then he sat down 


with the rest of the family for breakfast. Before they ate their 
com meal mush. Eagle, the grandfather, said a little prayer to the 
Food Givers and then threw a pinch of food into the fire as an 
offering to them. 

“I must hurry,” said Rain Cloud as he ate the last bite of mush, 
“Eagle Claws and Twinkling Star are already at work. I want to 
help them make the adobe bricks.” 

He ran out of the house and down the winding path to the 
field below. There he found Twinkling Star and Eagle Claws. 
Twinkling Star was very glad to have Eagle Claws help her make 
the adobe bricks. 

“You are just in time to help mix adobe,” cried Eagle Claws. 

Rain Cloud gave a shout and sat down to take off his mocca' 
sins. He liked to tramp the clay, ashes, straw, and water with his 
bare feet. The clay was in the hole that Eagle Claws had dug in 
the ground. In this they tramped and tramped. Rain Cloud 
watched the mud oozing through his toes. 

After a long time Eagle Claws said, “Now it is ready to put 
into the molds.” 

The molds were made in three sections like a ladder. These 
sections were just the size the bricks were to be. After the adobe 
was poured into the molds, they were put in the sun to dry. 

“Now we can look at the bricks we put out to dry yesterday,” 
said Twinkling Star. 

When they looked, they found these bricks almost dry. 
Twinkling Star put a little water over them, then turned them 
out of the molds to dry more. 

“The bricks we made a week ago are dry and hard,” she said. 
“Now we can take them back to the village.” 

Eagle Claws put two of the adobe bricks on his shoulder. Then 
they all started up the steep path to the village. 

Suddenly Rain Cloud saw Eagle Claws step around a snake 
that was lying in the path. 


[ 17 ] 


“What kind of snake was that, brother?” asked Rain Cloud. 

“That was a gopher snake,” said Eagle Claws. “He kills the 
gophers and squirrels that eat our crops. He likes to warm himself 
in the bright sun. Rain Cloud, you must learn to know the gopher 
snake when you see him. He is pale yellow in color and has dark 
brown spots on the middle of his back.” 

“Tell me about some other kinds of snakes. Eagle Claws,” said 
Rain Cloud. 

“Well,” replied Eagle Claws, “first, there is the diamondback 
rattlesnake. He is yellowish or grayish brown. Down his back are 
diamond'shaped blotches. He will always strike when someone 
bothers him. But he must coil before he can strike. He always 
warns you by making a buzzing noise with his rattles. 

“Then there is the sidewinder rattlesnake. He does not have 
to coil before he strikes. He can even strike on the run. He is very 
tiny. He leaves his marks on the loose sand. Sometimes he slides 
in between the folds of a blanket.” 

By this time they had reached the v illag e 

“Brother,” said Twinkling Star, “I want to mark the place for 
my house the way our forefathers did. I have asked the cacique 
to come and perform the ceremony.” 

“Good,” said Eagle Claws as he put down his load of adobes. 

I should like to see the old ceremony again myself.” 

‘Oh, here he comes now,” cried Rain Cloud. 

The cacique was one of the religious leaders of the village, 
chosen because of his wisdom. As he came near, they could see 
that he carried two bowls of stew, a bowl of wafer-bread crumbs, 
a bowl of white commeal, and four eagle feathers. 

He greeted Twinkling Star, Bluebird, and Eagle Claws. He 
smiled at Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl. 

“First, I shall mark the size your house is to be,” he said to 
Twinkling Star. He took the bowl of white commeal and made 
long lines on the ground with it. 

[ 18 ] 


/ 










“First I shall mar\ the size your house is 
































“Now, Twinkling Star, you take these four feathers and place 
one at each corner of your house. Eagle Claws, you place a big 
stone over each feather, please. 1 ’ 

When this was done, Twinkling Star chose the place for the 
doorway. This was to face the east so that the sun would shine 
into the house most of the day. 

The cacique then took two bowls of stew and placed them on 
each side of the space where the door was to be. 

“Now, you may all fill your hands with wafenbread crumbs 
and walk in single file around the lines that mark the house,” he 
said. 

“This is fun,” whispered Rain Cloud to Butterfly Girl as they 
sprinkled the crumbs on the ground. “This means that Twinkling 
Star and her husband will always have food and plenty in their 
house.” 

Then they all sang songs and the ceremony was over. 

Before the cacique left, he said, “Now, go and build your house. 
May it prove strong and comfortable.” 

Everyone began to work. Eagle Claws took the adobes and 
put them one upon another in a row. This was to make the walls 
where the cacique had marked. Bluebird and Twinkling Star took 
soft mud in their hands and put it between the bricks. This made 
the bricks stick together in a solid wall. 

Butterfly Girl tried to do just as Bluebird and Twinkling Star 
were doing. She tried and tried, but the mud slid out of her hands. 
She felt bad because all Indian girls must do things well with their 
hands. 

“Oh, dear,” she cried, “why can’t I do it the way you do. 
Mother?” 

“You must keep trying,” said Bluebird, “and soon you will 
be able to do it much better.” 

Butterfly Girl tried again. Still the mud went on in lumps. It 
hardened too soon and did not hold the bricks together. She felt 

[20 ] 


very sad. She wanted to show Rain Cloud how well she could do. 
At last she sat down on the ground to rest. She put her head in 
her hands and leaned against the wall. 

“Oh, my,” she said again. 

The wall made of her bricks was not strong enough to lean 
against. It shook a little. One brick fell down. It hit poor little 
Butterfly Girl on the head! 

“Oh, oh,” said Butterfly Girl, but she did not cry. 

Bluebird came running to her. She picked Butterfly Girl up 
and helped her into their house. She laid her down on the floor 
and put a pretty blanket over her. Then she took some cold 
water from a pottery jar and bathed her head. 

“Perhaps your grandfather will come to tell you a story,” 
she said. 

“Oh, will he?” replied Butterfly Girl. “I don’t mind a bump 
on my head if Grandfather will only do that for me.” 

Bluebird called Eagle, and soon he came through the doorway. 
He smiled at Butterfly Girl. He was very old. His face was full 
of lines. He had lived so long that he knew many stories. 

“Grandchild,” he said, “would you believe that long ago our 
people lived in pueblo houses without any doors?” 

“But Grandfather,” laughed Butterfly Girl, “how could they 
get into a house without a door?” 

“Ah, my child,” said Eagle in a sad voice, “when you have 
enemies, it is best not to have doors. Enemies can come through 
doors too easily. 

“You see, long ago our Pueblo people had many enemies. They 
feared the Apache Indians most of all. The Apaches came in great 
numbers across the plains. They came to kill our people and to 
steal our com. 

“There was a hole in the roof of every house in the village. 
Each person had to climb up a ladder to his roof. Then he would 
climb down through this hole. When the Apaches were coming, 
[21 ] 


the ladders were pulled up. Then our people were quite safe. 

“But the Apaches are our friends now , 11 cried Butterfly Girl. 

“Yes , 11 said Eagle, “when the Apaches come to see us now, 
we bring them through the door. 

“Now you must rest, Butterfly Girl , 11 said Eagle. “You must 
be ready to help Twinkling Star tomorrow. She will have a nice 
door in her house. I think that is better than a hole in the roof, 
after all . 11 




























































Chapter Three 
THE WEDDING 


“Look, Rain Cloud, Twinkling Star’s house is finished at last!” 
cried Butterfly Girl. “It seems such a long time since we started 
to build it.” 

Butterfly Girl and Rain Cloud were sitting in the hot sun. 
Rain Cloud was very busy. He was pulling at the leather straps 
on a little doll cradle. He was making the doll cradle for Butterfly 
Girl’s kjichina doll. A kachtna doll is a funny little wooden doll 
with strange painted marks and a headdress. It is made to look like 
the gods who appear in ceremonies. Indian girls carry them to 
remind them of the stories about their gods. 

“Yes, the house is finished,” said Rain Cloud as he bent over 
the cradle. “Will Twinkling Star be married soon?” 

“Why, Rain Cloud, you know the wedding will be in just 
three more days. How could you forget it? I am so excited I 
can hardly wait!” 

[ 23 ] 
















“Well, I am glad we shall not have to listen to Running Fox 
playing his flute outside our house every night,” said Rain Cloud. 

Running Fox was the man Twinkling Star was going to marry. 

“And I am glad that all of Running Fox’s family and all of our 
family want them to be married,” replied Butterfly Girl. “Did you 
see the three presents Running Fox brought Twinkling Star?” 

“Yes,” said Rain Cloud, “I like the moccasins best. Running 
Fox made them from a deerskin with rawhide soles. He shot the 
deer himself. Running Fox is a good hunter.” 

“Oh, I like the pretty white dress the best. Did you know it 
was woven by hand? I like the pretty belt, too. It is red and green 
and has long fringe at the ends. How I should like one just like 
it some day.” 

“Well, I’m glad I’m not a girl, anyway,” said Rain Cloud. 

“Why?” cried Butterfly Girl. 

“Because I shall not have to grind com before I get married. 
Poor Twinkling Star has to grind com for three long days at the 
house of Running Fox. She does it for his mother.” 

Just then Bluebird came to the door. 

“Come, my children,” she called. “You must build a fire. I 
am going to bake bread for the wedding feast.” 

Rain Cloud knew just what to do. He ran to the woodpile 
and filled his arms with sticks. Then he carried them over to a 
large oven just a few feet away. Butterfly Girl helped him build 
a large fire in the oven. Soon the oven was very hot. Then Blue' 
bird brought from the house loaf after loaf of bread to bake. 

Butterfly Girl put in a tiny loaf of bread all her own. 

“Now you can build a fire in the fireplace of our house,” said 
Bluebird. “The stones must be very hot. Then I shall make wafer' 
bread.” 

“Oh, do make it with the blue com flour,” cried Butterfly Girl. 

So for three long days they all worked hard to get ready for 
the wedding. At last the great day came. 

[ 24 ] 


Early that morning Rain Cloud was outside gathering sticks. 
He heard a splashing noise. People were laughing. He dropped 
the sticks and ran to the door. He looked inside. 

“What is Mother doing?” he asked. 

“Something you do not like,” laughed his mother. “I am 
washing Twinkling Star’s hair. See the soap? It is from the root 
of the yucca plant I had you dig up for me.” 

Next, Butterfly Girl was asked to help her sister dress for the 
wedding. Bluebird, the mother, made everyone else stay outside 
to wait. 

“Those are such pretty flowers on your dress,” cried Butterfly 
Girl. Never before had she seen Twinkling Star look so beautiful. 

“Now, give me my new white moccasins,” smiled Twinkling 
Star, “and my deerskin leggings, too.” 

Then she wrapped the leggings around her legs from her knees 
to her ankles. 

After this, Bluebird put silver and turquoise beads around her 
neck. Twinkling Star was ready at last. 

“I see Running Fox going to the church,” cried Rain Cloud, 
looking out of the door. 

Running Fox looked very nice. His hair had been washed in 
yucca suds, too. Over his shoulder he wore a bright red blanket. 
His moccasins and leggings were fastened with silver buttons. He 
even had silver buttons on his leather belt. Around his neck he 
wore a necklace. The necklace was made of white shell and blue 
turquoise beads. He was all ready for the wedding. 

Rain Cloud was sitting outside waiting to go to the wedding. 
Suddenly he saw a rabbit in a nearby field. It was sitting still by a 
bush. 

“Oh, if I could only catch a rabbit,” he thought. “I could give 
it to Twinkling Star for a present.” 

Out loud he said, “Butterfly Girl, will you come for a little 
walk with me before the wedding?” 

[ 25 ] 


“Oh, I don’t think there is time. Rain Cloud,” she replied. 
“We don’t want to be late for the wedding.” 

“Oh, come on,” he begged. “There is plenty of time, I’m 
sure.” 

So Butterfly Girl and Rain Cloud crept out of the house and 
down the street. It was a beautiful day for a walk. Soon they had 
left the village behind. 

Suddenly Rain Cloud saw another rabbit. He ran after it. He 
chased it and chased it until he heard Butterfly Girl call. 

“Rain Cloud, come back! We must run to the church, or we 
shall be late for the wedding!” 

“All right, I’m coming!” called Rain Cloud. “I guess I couldn’t 
catch the rabbit anyway, because I haven’t my rabbit stick with 
me.” 

With that, they both ran to the church. But, when they got 
there, everyone had gone inside. The doors were closed. 

“We are too late!” cried Butterfly Girl. “Rain Cloud, we have 
missed the wedding!” 

Rain Cloud felt very sad. Just then the doors opened and a 
man came out of the church. The man was carrying a drum like 
the one Rain Cloud had found in the cave. He was beating it 
first loudly and then softly, loudly and then softly. 

Next came the white priest. He had on his long black robes. 
He walked very slowly and smiled at the children as he went by. 

Behind the priest came an Indian boy. He was carrying a 
large cross. 

Then came the bride and groom. They were smiling and look' 
ing very happy. 

Behind them came all the friends and relatives who had been 
in the church. They were all singing softly. 

Butterfly Girl and Rain Cloud ran to Bluebird. They, too, 
began to sing as they walked beside her. 

Everyone walked to the house where Rain Cloud lived. Many 

[ 26 ] 



The man was carrying a drum 




























of the people came inside, and Bluebird gave them breakfast. This 
was the bride’s breakfast. 

Bluebird had baked many loaves of pikj, or wafer-bread, for 
the breakfast. She had also made a big stew of goat’s meat mixed 
with com and chile peppers. Everyone thought it was very good. 
They laughed and talked as they ate. 

When the stew was all gone, the people left the house. They 
went to the house where Running Fox lived. His mother had 
cooked a big breakfast too. So the people sat down and ate once 
more. 

Butterfly Girl whispered to Rain Cloud: “I don’t see how I 
can eat any more, but it’s so good I hate to leave any of it." 

"So do I,” whispered Rain Cloud. "But soon the feast will 
be over. Then Twinkling Star and Running Fox will go to their 
own house. Then we can each throw a stick of wood on their 
fire to make it bum well." 

Rain Cloud was right. Soon Twinkling Star and Running Fox 
stood up. They said good-bye to all the people. Then they walked 
down the street to their new house. 

First, Twinkling Star went into the house alone. She took a 
little broom and swept the room. The broom was made of stiff 
grass. Then she stood at the door and handed a basket of com 
out to Running Fox. Running- Fox took the com. He rubbed a 
little of it on each of the four walls of the house. Then he came 
inside. He threw two or three handfuls of com out the door and 
said: May this road of light lead good friends hither." 

Next, Running Fox knelt by the fireplace. He took two sticks, 
one flat and the other round ■ He twirled the round stick on the 
flat one which lay on the floor. Soon there was a fire burning in 
the fireplace. Then he lit four candles and put them on the floor 
in front of the fire. 

After that. Twinkling Star threw a pinch of commeal on the 
fire and said this little prayer: 


[ 28 ] 


“May this fire, the symbol of all above, be the Home Fire of 
my children and my children’s children.’’ 

Just then all the friends and relatives of Twinkling Star and 
Running Fox came into the house. Each one held a stick of wood 
in his hand. Rain Cloud was the first to throw his stick on the 
fire. Then the others threw their sticks on the fire. Soon the fire 
was burning brightly. 

Everyone laughed and talked until the Sun God had gone to 
rest. Then they all went home. 











Chapter Four 
A DAY IN THE FIELDS 


Spring had come. It was time to plant the com. The people 
who worked and planted in the spring and summer were called 
Summer People. The people who worked in the winter were called 
Winter People. Rain Cloud and his family were Summer People. 
They were glad to plant the corn and watch it grow in the spring. 

Early one Saturday morning, Porcupine, his father, said to 
Rain Cloud: ‘‘You may come to the fields with me today, my son.” 

Rain Cloud was very glad. He knew that before he became a 
man, he must leam many things. At school he learned each day 
of the White Man’s ways. At home Porcupine and the other 
men taught him the ways of the Indians. He must grow big and 
strong. He must be brave if he hurt himself. He must throw darts 
straight and true, and win at games. He must know how to plant 
com. If he did all these things well, his father would take him to 
the \iva some day. 

Every pueblo had two or more kivas. Some were round and 
[ 30 ] 





















Porcupine told Rain Cloud a little story 




















some were square. They had no windows. To get inside, one 
had to go down a ladder through an opening in the roof. Two long 
ladder poles went up into the air from the floor below. 

In this secret room the Indian men met to plan the dances 
and the work of the village. Below the door in the roof was a small 
fireplace and a shrine. A small opening in the floor was supposed 
to be the doorway to the lower world. Here the spirits of the 
dead could visit this world again. Rain Cloud loved all this. 
However, the children were never allowed to go near the kirns. 
Rain Cloud would be so glad when he would be old enough to be 
taken into the one in his village. 

Still thinking of the \iva. Rain Cloud went with Porcupine to 
the corral at the back of the house. There stood Dancing Hoofs 
waiting for a ride. Dancing Hoofs was a little brown burro. 
Burro is the Spanish name for a donkey. 

Dancing Hoofs had very long ears and one half-shut eye. He 
looked very sleepy, but when Rain Cloud held out a piece of 
sugar in his hand, the little burro became very wide awake. But¬ 
terfly Girl and Rain Cloud had braided Dancing Hoofs’ long tail. 
They had tied a red ribbon to the end of it too. 

Rain Cloud climbed on Dancing Hoofs’ back. The burro 
turned his head and gave him a friendly little nip on the leg. 
Then he wiggled his nice long ears and trotted down the road 
beside Porcupine’s horse. 

All of the burros that had gotten into the fields and eaten the 
corn had their ears cut. Then everyone knew that they were 
thieves. So Rain Cloud was very proud of Dancing Hoofs’ nice 
long ears, for he had stayed away from the corn fields. 

As they rode along, Porcupine told Rain Cloud a little story. 

’’Com is the best thing the Indians raise,” he said. ’’Long, 
long ago, Kisani, the coyote, brought us an ear of com for seed. 
He wanted it all and our people wanted it too. In trying to get 
away, Kisani broke the ear of com in two. He got away with 

[ 32 ] 


only the tip end. He left us the good end. That is why our corn 
is better than any other com in the world / 1 

“I love the corn , 11 said Rain Cloud. “It has so many pretty 
colors. I know them all. The flint com is yellow, white, and pink. 
The flour com is yellow, red, and dark blue. Some of it is white 
tipped with black. 

“The ears of corn taste so good when Bluebird has cooked 
them. I have watched her dig a hole in the ground and put hot 
coals into it. Then, after the ears of corn had been dropped in, 
the hole was covered up for a long time. It makes me hungry just 
to think of it ! 11 laughed Rain Cloud. 

By this time, Dancing Hoofs and Porcupine's big horse had 
brought them down to the fields. The fields were not near the 
pueblos. They were down by the river. There the soil was sandy 
and damp. 

Each man had a field of his own. When the men planted and 
harvested their crops, all joined together to help with the work. 
Many men were already working when Rain Cloud and Porcupine 
rode up. 

“We shall start here , 11 said Porcupine as he climbed off the 
big, brown horse. With that, he took his planting stick and, with 
his boot, drove it into the ground, making a hole about twelve 
inches deep. 

“Now, Rain Cloud , 11 he said, “you may plant the seed . 11 

Rain Cloud took several grains of seed. He dropped them into 
the hole and filled the hole with soil. He then made a little mound 
over it. Porcupine took a few steps and dug another hole in the 
same way. All morning Porcupine dug holes and Rain Cloud 
planted the seeds. 

About noon Rain Cloud grew very hot and tired. He did not 
tell Porcupine he was tired, though. He wanted his father to bring 
him to the fields again. 

At last it was noon. Porcupine and Rain Cloud sat down under 

[33 ] 


a shady cottonwood tree to eat their lunch. Bluebird had made 
them comcakes and broiled some goat meat. Rain Cloud thought 
this was very good food. 

“Father,” asked Rain Cloud, while they were eating, “how 
soon will the com come up?” 

“It takes a little time,” the father replied, “but our seed comes 
up sooner than most seed. We have so little rain that we must 
water it often. Then it will grow fast.” 

“There are many things that hurt the com, aren’t there?” 
asked Rain Cloud. “There are cutworms and crows that eat the 
com.” 

“Yes,” replied Porcupine. “And this year you will be old 
enough to go to the fields with the other children. You can help 
them take the cutworms off the com and kill them.” 

After a little while, Rain Cloud said, “I shall be glad when it is 
time to pick the com. When that is done, we can have the Com 
Dance. I think that’s the best time of the year, even better than 
Christmas. 

“I remember last year when all the people came here alongside 
the fields and lived in little houses made of brush and leaves. Every' 
one gathered the com. They put some of the com in big holes in 
the ground. They burned dry wood in the holes. When the fire 
had burned down water was poured in and when the water was 
very hot, the com was put in and covered with leaves and earth. 
After a while the com was cooked. My, how good it tasted!” 

“Do you remember what we did with the com after it was 
cooked?” asked Porcupine. “We put it in bags and packed them 
on the backs of burros. Then the burros carried them to the village. 
Each woman was given a bag to put in her com room.” 

“Yes, I remember,” said Rain Cloud. “And I helped to put 
some com on our roof to dry. After that, Bluebird ground com 
on her metate every day. That made it into flour. Perhaps some 
of these cakes we are eating were made from that very flour.” 

[ 34 ] 



He was very surprised to see a little prairie dog 


























They had just finished talking when it was time to work again. 
All afternoon Rain Cloud thought of the cool river. He knew 
that when the work was done the men bathed there. Many times 
he had heard them laughing and splashing. Rain Cloud hoped 
that he could splash with them today. 

But just then Rain Cloud felt a bit of dust in his eyes. He tried 
to rub it out with his fist, but the Wind God blew it right back 
into his eyes again. He felt the sand stinging his legs, and his 
trousers began to flap in the wind. 

“Look!” cried Porcupine. 

Then Rain Cloud saw a great yellow cloud of dust rolling 
across the plain. 

“A sandstorm is coming!” cried Porcupine. “We must get 
home as fast as we can! It’s a good thing the men built that wall 
of stone and sand around the cornfield. It will protect the seed we 
have just planted. It isn’t high enough to protect us, though. 
Come, my son!” 

Porcupine lifted Rain Cloud up onto Dancing Hoofs’ back. 
Then he jumped onto his own big horse. He gave Dancing Hoofs 
a little poke in the side with his planting stick. Away Dancing 
Hoofs ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. 

All the men were running from the field. Some were on horse- 
back and some were on foot. 

The wind blew stronger and stronger. The air was thick with 
dust and sand. 

It made Rain Cloud s eyes sting and tears roll down his cheeks. 
He could hardly breathe. 

“Son,” shouted Porcupine as they dashed toward the village, 
“tie your headband across your nose and mouth. That will keep 
the sand out.” 

It was hard for Rain Cloud to do this while he was riding so 
fast. Still, when he had the headband across his mouth and nose, 
he felt better. 


Rain Cloud saw many little animals running for shelter too. 
A coyote was hurrying over the plain ahead of him. Rabbits were 
scampering into their holes all around him. He even saw a desert 
kit fox. All of the animal people were running to get out of the 
storm. 

Suddenly, Dancing Hoofs stumbled and almost fell. Then 
Rain Cloud looked down and saw why. He was very surprised to 
see a little prairie dog with a hurt leg lying in the sand. 

It took Rain Cloud only a minute to know what to do. He 
jumped off Dancing Hoofs’ back and shouted to Porcupine. 

“Stop, Father, stop!” 

Porcupine pulled up his horse and trotted back. Rain Cloud 
was holding the little prairie dog in his arms. It was too frightened 
to move. 

“This little prairie dog has hurt his leg,” shouted Rain Cloud 
above the wind. “He can’t get back to his hole to get out of the 
storm. I am going to carry him home.” 

Then Rain Cloud climbed onto Dancing Hoofs’ back again. 
He held the little prairie dog close against him. It looked like a 
squirrel to Rain Cloud, and a badly frightened one, too. 

Soon Dancing Hoofs and the big, brown horse had taken Rain 
Cloud and his father safely up the steep side of the mesa. Back in 
their pueblo house the air seemed cool and clear. They could 
breathe easily once more. 

Rain Cloud took the little prairie dog and put him into a box. 
He thought how much he would like to keep him for a pet. But 
as soon as the little animal’s leg was well, Rain Cloud went down 
to the plain and set him free. 

When the little prairie dog scampered away, Rain Cloud was 
glad. He knew he had been a true friend to one of the animal 
people. 


[ 37 ] 



Chapter Five 

BUTTERFLY GIRL MAKES A POTTERY BOWL 

One afternoon Butterfly Girl came running home from school 
as fast as her little brown legs could carry her. 

“Mother! Mother!” she called as she came to the door of her 
home. “There is going to be a contest!” 

“What kind of contest, my child?” 

“A pottery contest, Mother. Every girl in my class is to make 
a bowl. Next Friday a man is coming from Santa Fe. He knows 
all about pottery. He will look at all the bowls. He will say 
which is the best. The girl who made it will get the prize.” 

“Now you may be glad that you watched me make pottery 
so many times,” she said. “You may be glad, too, that ever since 
you were a tiny girl you have made little clay dishes. Now we 
shall see if you can make a real bowl by yourself.” 

“I want to make a beautiful, shiny, black bowl,” said Butterfly 
Girl. “I’m not going to tell Rain Cloud about it. If I win, he will 
be surprised.” 


[ 38 ] 









1 





She picked up the clay in her hands 




























“But you have not won the contest yet," said Bluebird. “You 
must work hard. All the other girls will want to win, too.” 

“First, let us go to gather the clay,” cried Butterfly Girl. So 
Bluebird and Butterfly Girl hurried out of the house. Soon they 
had reached the low hills below the mesa. They stopped in a 
small gully under a sandstone ledge. They both knelt down. 

“This is the clay,” said Bluebird. “Now we shall scrape the 
twigs and pebbles away and put the clay into a pile.” 

Bluebird then placed a shawl on the ground. She picked up 
the clay in her hands and placed it on the shawl. Bluebird did 
that until she had a pile of fine, clean clay on the shawl. 

“Now we have enough,” she said. She tied up her shawl and 
carried the clay on her back to the house. 

“Next we must pound up and mix the clay,” she said as she 
went into the storeroom. 

When she came out, she had a paper sack full of temper. 
Temper is a fine powder which looks like dry cement. It is made 
by grinding up pieces of broken pottery. This is added to the clay, 
so that the pots will not crack when placed in the fire. 

“Now, Butterfly Girl, you mix the clay and temper together on 
this flat stone,” she said. 

Then Butterfly Girl ran and got a jug of water. She sprinkled 
the clay as if she were sprinkling clothes. She mixed the clay with 
her hands just as her mother did when kneading dough. When it 
was done, it looked like dark gray mud. 

“Now, you may begin your bowl,” said Bluebird. 

Butterfly Girl knew her hand must be steady or she could not 
make her bowl. She sat down and spread some clay into a round 
pat about six inches across. This was the bottom of the bowl. 
Then she began to make the sides of the bowl. 

“My hands are quite steady,” she thought, as she rolled the 
clay into long ropes, or coils. “Now I must place these coils one 
upon the other on the bottom piece.” 

[ 40 ] 


When she had enough coils placed one above the other, press" 
ing them in place with her fingers, she set the bowl aside to dry for 
a while. 

While that is drying, you can be thinking of a design for 
your bowl, 1 ’ said Bluebird. 

I know! ’ cried Butterfly Girl, "I shall use the rain cloud de" 
sign. My brother will be pleased if I do that.” 

That is true,” replied Bluebird, “and it is a beautiful, old 
design.” 

“I shall draw my design on paper first,” went on Butterfly Girl. 

“I should not do that,” answered her mother. “I should do it 
in the old way by remembering how the design is to be. In the 
old days the Indians never had paper and pencil.” 

After a little while Bluebird said, “Now you may go and finish 
the sides of your bowl.” 

She gave Butterfly Girl a little thing like a shallow spoon, cut 
from a gourd. Bluebird had many such spoons of different sizes. 
She kept them in a pottery jar. 

First, Butterfly Girl used the piece of gourd shell on the inside 
of the bowl. This was to press it out and give it the shape she 
wanted it to have. Then she used it on the outside to make it 
smooth. When this was done, she looked closely at the bowl and 
smoothed it here and there with her fingers. 

“Now,” said Butterfly Girl looking at her bowl. “This is ready 
to be sun-dried. Fm glad today is clear and hot. My bowl will be 
dry tomorrow. If it were cloudy, it would take two or three days 
to dry.” And Butterfly Girl put her bowl in the sun to dry. 

“I shall leave it here the rest of the afternoon,” she said. “I 
can hardly wait to see how it will look tomorrow.” 

The next afternoon Butterfly Girl ran home from school in a 
hurry. She went to her bowl and looked at it. 

“Mother,” she cried, “it hasn’t cracked! It is ready to be 
scraped.” 


[41 ] 



“That is right,” said Bluebird. “I am so glad it is a good bowl.” 

Butterfly Girl took the bowl into the house. She put it on her 
knees and scraped it carefully. This was to make it perfectly 
smooth. Then she rubbed a wet cloth over the bowl. 

Next, Butterfly Girl took a small rag. With this she rubbed 
dark red clay over her bowl until it was a dark red itself. This 
would make the bowl black when it was fired. 

“Now I must go down below the mesa and find myself a polish' 
ing stone,” she said to her mother. 

Down the steep path she went. When she reached the p lain 
below, she began to look for a stone. 

“It must just fit my fingers, so that I can polish my bowl well 
with it,” she said to herself. 

She reached down to pick up a stone. There sat a little homed 
toad blinking in the sun. Butterfly Girl laughed at the funny little 
fellow. 


[ 42 ] 












She began to polish her bowl 



















































As she reached to pick up other stones, lizards ran across her 
hands. Butterfly Girl didn’t mind. 

At last she found just the stone she wanted. It was smooth 
and round and white. It was just the right size for her fingers, too. 

With this, she ran back to the village and began to polish her 
bowl. She did this very carefully. She knew the bowl must be 
polished evenly, if she were going to win the prize. 

“Now your bowl is ready to be painted,” said Bluebird a little 
later. “You will use black paint. It is made from a hard stone. 
The stone is scraped and mixed with water.” 

Butterfly Girl took a paintbrush that was made from a small 
strip of yucca leaf, chewed at the end. She dipped it into the paint 
that was in a dish beside her. Very carefully she painted on the 
rain cloud design. She held her hand as steady as she could. 

When she had finished, the design looked very even. 

“You have done nice work,” Bluebird told her. “That is all 
you can do today. Early tomorrow we shall fire the bowl.” 

Firing the bowl meant that they would build a fire around and 
over the bowl. This would make the bowl hard and black. 

At six o’clock the next morning Butterfly Girl and Bluebird 
stole out of the house. Bluebird started a fire. When the fire had 
died down, she raked up the ashes. Then she put a grate over 
the ashes. On the grate she put Butterfly Girl’s bowl. Next, she 
took pieces of juniper wood and put them on the ashes under the 
bowl. Around this she put a row of dried pieces of sheep dung. 
Then she put the dung and the tops of old tin cans over the bowl, 
so that they would not touch. Bluebird took the bowl out of the 
fire on the end of a stick. It was smoking hot. They could see 
that it was a beautiful, shiny, black bowl. The rain cloud design 
looked very clear. 

“It is a good bowl,” said Bluebird. 

Butterfly Girl was happy. She was a bit afraid, too. What if 
she did not win the contest? 


[ 44 ] 



Chapter Six 
THE CONTEST 


The day of the contest, Butterfly Girl awoke very early. She 
lay still under her warm blankets. She thought about her bowl. 
She hoped with all her might that it was the best bowl any little 
girl had ever made. 

She heard Rain Cloud jump up and sing his song to the rising 
sun. She remembered that he went to school early this day to 
work in the school gardens. She was glad. Rain Cloud would 
not see her carrying her bowl to school. 

Bluebird brought Butterfly Girl her prettiest red dress to 
wear. She tied a red ribbon in Butterfly Girl’s shiny, black hair. 

Then Butterfly Girl put her bowl in a blanket. She held it 
tightly in her arms. Bluebird stood in the door and waved good-bye 
to her. Butterfly Girl started down the road to school with her 
heart beating fast. 

The school was at the edge of the village. It was a govern- 
ment school. Some of the children lived at the school. Most of 
them lived at home and came to school every day. 

[45 ] 






















Around the school were gardens. Here the boys learned how 
to grow fruit and vegetables. They learned how to dig ditches to 
water the gardens. 

The school itself looked like many little houses sitting close 
together. In one house the boys learned how to build many things, 
such as chairs and tables. They could take these home with them 
when they were finished. 

There was one little house Butterfly Girl loved more than all 
the rest. Here the older girls learned how to cook, set the tables, 
and serve the meals. There were a real kitchen and dining room. 
All the boys and girls were given a nice, hot lunch at noon. In 
the dining room there were pretty dishes and nice tables and 
chairs. Butterfly Girl could hardly wait until she was old enough 
to cook and serve in these rooms. 

The largest house of all was the gymnasium for the boys. 
Beside this was a nice swimming pool. 

The boys learned how to play basketball and football. These 
games were new to the Indian boys, but they soon learned to like 
them. 

Some of the teachers in the school were Indian. They taught 
the children things the Indian people know best how to do. 

By now little Butterfly Girl had reached the school. She held 
her bowl tightly in her arms and walked into her classroom. All 
the other little girls were also dressed in their best dresses. 

Indian girls do not get excited easily, but today their hearts 
were all pounding. They stood whispering to one another at one 
end of the room. 

Suddenly they were quiet. A man was standing in the door' 
way. He was the man who had come from Santa Fe. He was 
going to say which bowl of all the bowls standing so bravely on 
the table was the best. He would say which girl had won the prize. 

He stood and talked to the teacher. The little girls waited with 
all eyes on the man. 


[46 ] 



The man was holding up her shiny, blacky bowl 







































Just then all the boys and girls from the rest of the school 
marched into the room and the teacher told them about the contest. 

Butterfly Girl saw Rain Cloud. He looked at her and smiled. 
Butterfly Girl’s heart beat a little faster. 

“Now,” said the teacher, “Mr. Martin, who has come all the 
way from Santa Fe, will tell us which is the best bowl. Then he 
will tell us who has won the prize and what the prize will be.” 

Everyone was silent. 

Mr. Martin walked over to the table and looked at the bowls. 
He picked each one up very carefully. He looked at the designs 
painted on the bowls. He looked to see if they were round and 
smooth. He tapped them with his pencil to see if they had any 
cracks in them. At last he stood a little away from the table and 
looked at them all again. 

Butterfly Girl shut her eyes very tight, and she heard the man 
saying: 

“This is the best bowl. It is round and smooth. The design 
is well painted and it has no cracks.” 

She heard everyone clapping. Then she opened her eyes. 

The man was holding up her shiny, black bowl in his hands 
for everyone to see. 

“That is my bowl!” cried Butterfly Girl. 

She heard Rain Cloud give a shout. Everyone clapped again. 

“Come forward, Butterfly Girl,” said the teacher. “You have 
won the prize, and we are very proud of you.” 

She pinned a bright red ribbon on Butterfly Girl’s dress. 

Then Mr. Martin gave Butterfly Girl a little box. It was tied 
with pretty ribbon. 

“Open it,” said Mr. Martin. 

Her fingers shook so that she could hardly untie the ribbon. 

She opened the lid of the little box. Inside there lay a beau' 
tiful Indian bracelet. It was made of silver and turquoise. Tur- 
quoise is a blue-green stone the Indians love. Lovely jewelry of 

[ 48 ] 


silver and turquoise is made by the Navaho, as well as by the 
Pueblo Indians. 

“Oh, thank you,” cried Butterfly Girl. She could say no more. 

Rain Cloud came up and told her how glad he was that she 
had won. 

Butterfly Girl was very happy. She could hardly wait for 
school to be over, so that she could run home and tell her mother 
of the good news. 













Chapter Seven 
THE STORY HOUR 

One evening Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl, and all of the 
family, were sitting on the roof of their house. Even little Singing 
Bird was lying quietly upon Bluebird’s lap. The Sun God had 
gone to rest, and the stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky. 
It was cool and quiet on the roof. Everyone was glad to rest, for 
this had been a busy day. 

“Grandfather,” said Rain Cloud. “Please tell us a story.” 

“I will be glad to tell you a story,” said the grandfather. “What 
kind of story shall I tell?” 

Rain Cloud thought for a moment. Then he saw the eagle 
sitting in his cage over in the comer. Porcupine had caught the 
eagle just a few days before. Everyone was glad when Porcupine 
caught the eagle. Now there would be plenty of eagle feathers 
for making prayer sticks and to wear in their hair during the 
Com Dance. 


[ 50 ] 





Then he fitted an arrow to his bow 













“Tell us about the boy who caught an eagle, long, long ago,” 
said Rain Cloud. 

“Very well, my boy,” said Eagle, the grandfather. 

“Long ago there was a boy in our pueblo who was very brave 
and strong. His name was Fleet Arrow. Now every boy but one 
wanted Fleet Arrow to be his leader. The one who didn’t want 
Fleet Arrow to be his leader was jealous of him. 

One day when all the boys were talking together, the jealous 
boy said: T dare Fleet Arrow to go up to the giant eagle’s nest. 
I dare him to kill the giant eagle.’ He knew that only the big men 
were strong enough to kill eagles. 

Fleet Arrow was very brave. He knew he would have to 
kill the eagle before he could be the leader of all the boys. 

“Fleet Arrow took some grass and tied it together with strings 
of bark. This he tied to his head, so that when he lay down on 
the ground only the bunches of grass would show. 

Next, he took his bow and arrows and started to climb up 
the narrow ledge to the eagle’s nest. As he came near the nest, he 
lay down on the ground. He lay very still for a long, long time. 

“At last he saw the eagle circling over the nest. Fleet Arrow 
lay so still that even the sharp eyes of the eagle did not see him. 
Then he fitted an arrow to his bow. The arrow went singing 
through the air and straight into the eagle’s breast. The eagle 
screeched and fell to the earth. 

“Then the boys came running up the sides of the cliff. They 
saw Fleet Arrow standing over the dead eagle. They all shouted 
with excitement, ‘You have killed the eagle, Fleet Arrow!’ 

“They put sticks and branches together and tied the eagle to 
them. Then they carried the bird to the village. From that day on 
Fleet Arrow was the leader of all the boys.” 

The grandfather stopped speaking and everyone was silent. 

“I wish I could do something like that,” said Rain Cloud in a 
low voice. 


[ 52 ] 


You were at the rabbit chase today,” said Eagle. “Tell me 
about it. You see, I can remember when I could kill more rabbits 
than anyone in our village. Now, I am too old. I stay at home 
and look after little Singing Bird while the young men go after 
the rabbits. But tell me, who killed the most rabbits today?” 

“Can’t you guess, Grandfather?” asked Rain Cloud. “I’m sure 
you can! Wait until I tell you all about it. 

“Early this morning the rabbit chase started. All the men got 
on their horses and rode down to the plain where the rabbits sleep 
under the sage brush all day. Most of the women and all the boys 
and girls followed behind them. 

“Father let me carry his rabbit stick down to the plain. I 
wanted to throw it just once to see if I could make it curve around 
and around in the air. Father told me not to, though. I had my 
own rabbit stick, too, but it isn’t curved as much as Father’s. 

“When we got down to the plain, the governor divided the 
men into four groups. One group rode east, one west, one north, 
and one south. Butterfly Girl and I followed Father and Eagle 
Claws to see how many rabbits they would catch. 

“Each of the men had his rabbit stick raised in his right hand. 
When the governor gave the signal, they all yelled and rode off 
as fast as they could. They made a lot of dust and we could hardly 
see the horses. All of this noise frightened the rabbits. When 
they tried to run to their holes, the men threw their sticks and 
killed them. Grandfather, it was Father who killed the most rab- 
bits. Every time he threw his stick he killed one. His aim was 
true.” 

“And now,” said Bluebird, “it is time we were all in bed.” 

“Let me show you how fast I can slide down the ladder,” 
cried Rain Cloud, running ahead of everyone else. 

They all smiled as he slid down the log ladder as fast as the 
wind. 

“He is going to make a strong man,” said Porcupine proudly. 

[53 ] 



Chapter Eight 
THE CORN DANCE 

“Sister, sister, I have something to tell you!” shouted Rain 
Cloud to Butterfly Girl. 

He was running up the street. He shouted as he ran. Butterfly 
Girl heard him and dropped her broom. She ran down the street 
to meet him. 

“What is it, brother? What is it?” she called. 

Rain Cloud was out of breath. He could hardly talk. 

“Oh, do tell me,” begged Butterfly Girl. 

“Well,” said Rain Cloud, as soon as he could, “Father just told 
me that Falling Leaf, our little Navaho friend, is coming here 
for the Com Dance. His mother and father are coming too. They 
will all stay at our house!” 

Oh, what fun that will be. He will tell us wonderful stories. 
We will show him how we can dance the Com Dance.” 


[ 54 ] 
















All day they helped Bluebird 



> > 
> * < 


>. * 


• ; 'LL 




























“Yes, and I will show him how I can catch rabbits and shoot 
darts. He will be here tomorrow,” said Rain Cloud. 

“Tomorrow!” cried Butterfly Girl. 

She ran back to the house and picked up her broom. Then 
she ran out of the house, waving her broom in the air. 

“Come on, you lazy boy. There is much work to be done 
before tomorrow.” 

She gave Rain Cloud a friendly poke in the ribs with her broom. 

“I’ll work!” he cried, running toward the house. 

All day they helped Bluebird. She was baking bread and clean' 
ing the house. 

Everyone in the whole village was working, too. All the 
women were baking bread and cleaning. All the boys and girls 
were helping. The men were in the kivas. They were making 
plans for the dances. 

Early next morning, people began coming into the village. 
They came from far and near. They came in automobiles and on 
horseback. They all wanted to see the Com Dance. They all 
wanted to give thanks that the com had grown big and tall. 

Very early, Rain Cloud and Butterfly Girl went outside. They 
could eat no breakfast on the day of the Com Dance. So they sat 
down on the front steps to watch for Falling Leaf and his mother 
and father. 

At last they saw them coming up the street. Each was riding 
a horse. Falling Leaf was riding a pony. The pony was all his own. 

Bluebird and Porcupine came out to meet them. 

“Hello, hello!” they all shouted at once. 

Falling Leaf jumped off his pony. 

Hello, Rain Cloud! Hello, Butterfly Girl! See, I have brought 
you presents! 

“Here they are,” said Falling Leaf. “My mother made both 
of them for you.” 

Over each arm he held out a blanket. 

[ 56 ] 


Rain Cloud took one and Butterfly Girl the other. 

Oh, thank you,” they cried. Then they held up their blan¬ 
kets. 

On Butterfly Girl’s blanket were cloud and lightning figures. 
The blanket was a lovely blue in color with red and white designs. 

Rain Cloud’s blanket was like Butterfly Girl’s except that it 
was red with blue and white designs. 

“Oh, thank you so much!” cried Butterfly Girl. “The blankets 
are beautiful.” * 

“We have brought many blankets with us,” said Falling Leaf. 
“We are going to trade them for pottery with the people of your 
village. My mother made all the blankets, but she makes no 
pottery.” 

“You do not live in a house like this, do you. Falling Leaf?” 
asked Butterfly Girl. She felt very sorry for him because he had 
no nice house. 

“Oh, no,” said Falling Leaf. “We Navahos live in any place 
we want to be. It’s lots more fun than living in one place. You 
see, we have so many goats and sheep that we must go where 
they can find grass to eat. I ride my pony every day, so I can 
watch them.” 

“I think I’d like that,” said Rain Cloud. 

“Will you let me ride your pony if I let you ride my burro, 
Dancing Hoofs?” 

“Yes, you may ride my pony any time you wish,” said Falling 
Leaf. 

“Oh, Rain Cloud,” said Butterfly Girl, “we must get dressed 
for the Com Dance. It starts soon and we must be ready.” 

“I’m glad I have on my best clothes now,” said Falling Leaf. 

Falling Leaf had on a pair of plaid cotton trousers. He wore 
a belt of large, silver discs around his waist. His shirt was made of 
dark red velveteen. Around his head he had tied a bright red silk 
handkerchief. 


[ 57 ] 



“Wait until you see us in the Corn Dance,” cried Rain Cloud. 
“Perhaps you will not even know us.” 

“I shall go now,” said Falling Leaf, “just so I’ll have a good 
place to watch the dance. I want to be sure to see you. Good'bye.” 

Falling Leaf walked down the street with his mother and 
father. They stood with all the people waiting for the dance 
to begin. 

All at once, from each l\ivu came the Kosharcs. The Koshares 
are supposed to represent the spirits of the “first people.” They 
are really like clowns and make people laugh. 

“Oh, look at the Koshares!” cried Falling Leaf. “They are 
painted white all over and have big, black spots on them. Some 
of them have branches from the spruce tree around their waists. 
Look at the dried cornhusks in their hair! I wish I had a gourd 
rattle like those the Koshares have!” 


[ 58 ] 















‘All the girls and women are dressed the same as Butterfly Girl’ 









































The Koshares came dancing down the street, singing a funny 
little song. It made everyone laugh just to look at them. 

All at once the Com.Dance began. From the kjva of the S um * 
mer People and the ktva of the ^Winter People, came men and 
women and children. They were all dancing. 

“Look, look!” cried Falling Leaf. “Isn’t it beautiful? If I could 
only find Butterfly Girl and Rain Cloud!” 

Falling Leaf was not very tall, so he stood on tiptoe trying 
to see. 

“Climb up on this wall and you can see better,” said his father. 

He helped Falling Leaf climb up on the wall. 

“Oh, now I can see everything!” cried Falling Leaf. 

“There is Butterfly Girl dancing behind her mother. She has 
on a black dress. I see her red underskirt, and under that a white 
one. She has on a pretty red and white and black belt. She is 
barefoot. All the girls and women are dressed the same as Butterfly 
Girl. They are all waving evergreen branches in their hands. I 
wish I could see Rain Cloud!” 

“You can see better than I can,” called his mother. “Does 
Butterfly Girl have on her tablita?” 

“What is a tablita?” asked Falling Leaf. 

“That is her headdress.” 

"Oh, yes,” he replied. “It’s beautiful! It’s made of thin carved 
wood! It’s turquoise, red, and yellow. There are four fluffy white 
feathers hanging from the top of it.” 

Suddenly, Falling Leaf grew much excited. He jumped up and 
down on the wall. 

“There’s Rain Cloud! There’s Rain Cloud! He has on a white 
kilt. It has red and green and black pictures of the earth and 
clouds and rain on it. He has a string of small bells around his 
waist. He has a fox tail hanging down his back. He has green 
feathers in his hair. They are waving as he dances. He has a 
rattle in one hand and a branch from a spruce tree in the other.” 

[ 60 ] 


The Summer People danced for a long time. Then they went 
back to their kjva. Then the Winter People danced while the 
Summer People rested. 

On each side sat the people who made the music. One man on 
each side beat a drum. The others all sang. 

All day long they danced. Falling Leaf began to hope the dance 
would soon be over. He was very hungry. 

At last, about six o’clock, all the dancers stood in single file. 
Then they marched before a little altar. On the altar was the 
image of the patron saint of the pueblo. After each had bowed 
before the image, it was carried back to the church. 

Then the Com Dance was over. 

Butterfly Girl and Rain Cloud came running up to F allin g Leaf. 

“Come quickly!” they called, “it’s time for the feast.” 

At this time all the village women were very busy. They were 
dishing out great bowls of hot stew. Everyone was very hungry. 
They had not eaten all day. They laughed and talked as they ate. 

All were glad that the crops had been good. Now they would 
have plenty to eat. This was their way of giving thanks to the 
Rain Gods for helping the crops to grow. 

At last Butterfly Girl, Rain Cloud, and Falling Leaf had eaten 
all they could hold. Soon the Sand Man came and touched their 
eyes with sleep dust. 

“Come,” said Bluebird, “it’s time for bed.” 

The full moon had risen over the village. All was quiet now, 
except for the soft singing of the people. The visitors were leaw 
ing in their cars and on their horses. 

Bluebird and Falling Leaf’s mother took the sleepy children 
home to bed. Falling Leaf lay beside Rain Cloud under the 
blanket he had given him. 

“Goodnight, goodnight,” said Rain Cloud. “We must wait a 
whole long year for another Com Dance. That will be a long time.” 

“Yes,” replied Falling Leaf. “But tomorrow we shall have 
[ 61 ] 


another good time. You can ride my pony, and I shall ride your 
burro. Perhaps we can go out on the plain and hunt for rabbits.” 

Then they were asleep, and the Dream God sent them many 
happy dreams. 




































DESERT REPTILES 




1. GILA MONSTER 

2 . DESERT TORTOISE 

3. RATTLESNAKE HEAD 

4. HORNED LIZARD 




STONE 


AXE 




ooviW 




THUNDER BIRD MOUNTAIN 



WHIRLWIND 



EAOIE FEATHERS LIGHTNIN6 

















LEAF 


SUN RAYS 


FLOWER 


HORNING STARS 


noon 





















































































































